You know the type, right? The “We published a report” post that gets a couple of weak likes or the “We hosted a meeting” post that’s shared only by the people in the accompanying photo. Boring posts are everywhere in social media, but being common doesn’t make them OK. You spend so much time filling your social channels with content; don’t write posts that make your followers yawn.

Let’s fix this blah LinkedIn post from the World Bank

At the time of this post, the World Bank had 2.5 million followers on LinkedIn, but only 10 commented on this post, and only 7 shared it.

“Interested in the latest food security data and trends? Explore #Data360 for insights that drive action: http://wrld.bg/vKhB50XevtP #WBGMeetings”

The post is just blah. It opens with a broad question and replies with a broad answer. It doesn’t explain or illustrate the insights Data360 provides or how to use its data and trends.

Here’s my rewrite

I clicked through to Data360, a massive and impressive data portal, and grabbed some specifics to make the post more engaging. I hinted at how followers can use the resources. Here’s what I wrote:

“Data drives action. So when you know that one third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted, you can begin taking steps to improve food security. #Data360 gives you free and open access to global development data for 200 world economies: http://wrld.bg/vKhB50XevtP. Use #Data360 to create custom data reports that drive change. #WBGMeetings”

Now let’s fix this uninspiring Facebook post by the National Education Association

Some choices in this webinar post work well. It announces who the webinar is for (higher educators) and quickly states the date and time. I had to look up “dual enrollment,” but higher educators — the target audience — will know what this is. (Dual enrollment is a program that allows high school students to take college courses, earning both high school and college credit at the same time.)

Calling all higher educators! Join us for a webinar “Digging into Dual Enrollment” on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 6pm ET. This robust conversation will look at the current trends and issues when it comes to dual enrollment. #HigherEdMonth Register now: https://bit.ly/48gSDxX

However, the post flops on explaining what the webinar will “dig” into or who is presenting. And it uses the worn out word “robust” to describe the conversation. When I see “robust,” I’m pretty sure there’s no there there.

Here’s my rewrite

I clicked the registration link, hoping to find details, but it just led to a form. A little online research helped me sketch in the “issues” mentioned in the original post. Here’s what I wrote:

Calling all higher educators! Join us for a webinar “Digging into Dual Enrollment” on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 6pm ET. Yes, dual enrollment can help high school students succeed, but many educators remain concerned about whether programs are rigorous, accessible to all, and worth what they cost colleges and universities. Register now: https://bit.ly/48gSDxX #HigherEdMonth

How to avoid writing “We did a thing” social posts

1. Lead with a hook. Be provocative, even preposterous. Grab attention. Share details that can stir controversy.
2. Identify the action you want followers to take after reading the post. “Learn more” isn’t great. “Subscribe, download, enroll, calculate…” are better.
3. Explain what they’ll get if they take action. Be specific, concrete, and practical.
4. Talk directly to the reader. Use “you.”
5. Instill FOMO. State what people will lose if they don’t take action.
6. Write with emotion. Refer to emotions by name. “We’re eager to see you…” or “Our CEO is concerned about access…”

Share-worthy social posts answer the questions “Why should I care?” and “What should I do?” Don’t write posts that merely announce what your organization did or wrote, or what you’ll host next week or sell next month. Write posts that make followers say “I want to share!”